Welcome to Morrill! How can I help you? This year, I was an office assistant, or OA, for Morrill Tower. I began working in October and will return to the job in August to help open the building for residents. My job duties include helping to sort the 100+ packages that Morrill receives daily, managing keys for residents so they can get into their rooms, answering the phone to both students and parents, solving any problems that residents may bring to us, and keep the tower secure and safe.
In this job, I learned customer-service based skills, such as communication and thinking on-the-spot as I served the residents. I also learned time management and teamwork skills as my deskmate and I worked to complete shift tasks. Most importantly, I learned about diversity and inclusion. Of our 1300 residents, many of them are international students and speak multiple languages. I loved learning about different cultures from them and my coworkers. Working at Morrill has been such a rewarding experience, and I am so glad to have had it.
I had never had a job in high school, so it was very different for me, learning how to balance work and school work. I was allowed to study during my shifts, but it was always the last priority. You could never trust you will have time to finish a really important assignment, so anything vital had to be done on your own time. This time management skill has really helped me with prioritizing my homework, and I hardly ever feel rushed or panicked now.
My critical thinking skills also have improved drastically. When you have a person on the phone, you can not tell them, “well, give me a few minutes to think.” You have to immediately have an answer, or know which direction to head for a solution. I no longer say “um” anymore, or get nervous when people ask me questions I do not know the answer to.
I am really glad that I got this job, and I am grateful for everything I have learned along the way. I work with a lot of great people from all over the world. I will never forget this experience.